Cigarette-case.



W i n e 85 gww J. T. I NMAN.

CIGARETTE CASE. APPLICATION FILED FEB-15.1914

1,38,05Q Patented July 10, 1917.

JOHN '1; INIVIAN, 0F ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

CIGARETTE-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July ill, 1%17.

Application filed February 16, 1914. Serial No. 818,844. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. INMAN, of Attleboro, county of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette- Cases; and 1 do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full and eXact description thereof.

The invention relates primarily to a case for holding cigarettes, but it is adapted for use in cases for holding other similar shaped articles, such as medicine bottles and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide the case with a holder for the cigarettes which, when the case is open, will present the cigarettes in such a manner that they will be easy of access and readily removable endwise without any liability of injury.

A further object of the invention is to provide a case having a holder of this characted which is simple and cheap to produce, of strong and durable construction, and eliicient in operation.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the claims. In describing the invention in detail reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an end or edge view of my novel case in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line wm, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the case in open position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line y-g, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the cigarette holder.

Fig. 6 is a central sectional view of the bottom of the holder on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the hinged central portion of the holder on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, the case comprises a slightly curved body-portion 1 and cover 2 which is pivotally joined to the body portion by a spring hinge 8 and is held in closed position by a catch 4, all of wellknown and ordinary construction. The body portion 1 and cover 2 are provided with a laterally and inwardly extending rim or bezel 5 extending completely around the same.

Securedto the bottom edge of the body portion 1 midway between the hinge edge and catch edge and beneath the bezel 5 is a hinge-member 6 which is pivotally connected to a hinge-member 7 upon the inner edge of the bottom of the cigarette holder 8 by a pivot-pin 9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Mounted upon the pivot-pin 9 is a coilspring 10, which is arranged and adapted to automatically move the cigarette holder to open position. The holder 8 is slightly curved to correspond with the curvature of the body portion and is provided with a series of oval recesses-11, as shown in Fig. 5, to receive the cigarettes 12.

The cigarettes are held in the recesses 11 by means of a retaining plate 13 which extends laterally across the face of the holder 8 and is pivotally secured to the bottom thereof by means of the eyes 14 pivotally secured between the eyes 15 upon the bottom of said holder by means of the pivotpin 16. Mounted upon the pivot-pin .16 between the eyes 14 is a coil spring 17 arranged to normally hold the retaining plate 13 against the cigarettes, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

From the above description it will be seen that when the case is in closed position the holder 8 will rest against/the inner surface of the body-portion 1, as shown in Fig. 2, and that when the case is opened the free end of the holder will be automatically moved away from the body portion 1 by the spring 10, and the movement of said holder to its raised or inclined position will be arrested or limited by the bottom of the holder engaging the bezel 5, as shown in 4. It will also be seen that the hingemembers 6 and 7 are completely concealed beneath the bezel 5 and that by pivoting the holder at the bottom of the body portion between the hinge edge and catch edge thereof, it is in a convenient position to be manipulated by the thumb of the left hand, if desired. It will also be seen that the holder is mounted independent of and at right angles to the hinge-portion of the case, and that said holder could be secured to the top edge of the body portion, if desired, instead of to the bottom edge.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. article of the character described, comprising a body portion having an in- Wardly extending bezel, a cover pivotally connected to said body portion, and a holder pivotally secured to the body portion beconnected to said body portion and a holder pivotally'secured to the bottom edge of the body portion beneath said bezel.

3. An article of the character described, comprising a body portion, acover pivotally connected thereWith,a holder pivotally secured to the edge of said body portion, a springarranged to automatically raise said holder to an inclined position when the cover of the body portion is opened and means for limiting the movement of said holder to its inclined position;

. 4E. An article of the character described, comprising a' body-portion, a cover pivotally connected therewith, a holder provided With aspringhinge upon the inner edge of I said holder.

secured to the bottom edge of the bodyportion beneath said bezel, a pivot-pin joining said hinge members, a spring upon said pivot pin arranged and adapted to move said holder to an inclined position so that the bottom of said holder Will engage said bezel, and a spring-operated retaining plate hinged to the outer edge of the bottom of JOHN T. INMAN. Witnesses:

W. H. THURSTON, J. H. THURSTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

a Washington, D. C. 

